Mommy and Charlie
by Charlie'sLostVampire
Summary: Claire wakes up in the night to find Charlie comforting Aaron, and the pair discuss the future.


"…it's alright. Yeah, ya see? Nothing to cry about…"

Claire sat up in confusion, rubbing her eyes. "Charlie?"

"Huh?"

He looked up and met her eyes, instantly looking sheepish. "Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you… Aaron was fussing, and I didn't want to wake you up."

She stood up and walked over to the cradle where Charlie was kneeling; Aaron was sound asleep. "He seems fine to me."

"Well, I got him calmed down and he fell asleep again…" Charlie was definitely sheepish now. The last thing he had wanted to do was wake Claire; he didn't want her to think he was trying to do her job or anything like that. He had just wanted her to get some rest.

"Well, since you're up, I guess I'll just… go… back to… sleep…" he stood awkwardly, but Claire grabbed his hand.

"No. You can stay if you'd like."

He smiled and sat down beside her again. "Thanks."

They sat in silence for a few moments before Claire spoke. "Can I ask you something?"

He sat up straighter and nodded. "Yeah, sure. Of course."

"Why do you do all of this?"

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

"For Aaron and for me. You really don't have to… but you do. Why?"

Charlie bit his lip. "I dunno. I suppose I've liked you since I met you…" he blushed. "You were so sweet even after everything that happened to you. I guess you seemed kind of lonely, so I decided to come over and talk to you… and I really did like you, Claire. I still do. I guess somewhere along the way, the baby became just as important to me as you are."

She stared at him. "Am I really that important to you?"

He gave her that signature, adorable Charlie grin. "Absolutely."

She sighed and lay her head on his shoulder. "You're important to me, too."

He smiled, leaning closer to her. "I'm glad."

"Charlie… do you think we're ever going to get off of this island?"

He looked down at her. "Of course I do!"

"Really?"

"Absolutely. Why do you ask?"

She bit her lip. "Well… a part of me wants to get off as soon as possible, because I don't want Aaron to grow up here. But… another part of me is scared to leave."

Charlie frowned. "Why would you be scared?"

Her lip trembled. "Because I have nobody, Charlie. My parents disowned me when I got pregnant before I was married, and I have nowhere to go back home… I don't want to be alone anymore, Charlie. Not after being around everyone here for so long. I just don't think I could handle it…"

"Hey." Charlie said softly, brushing her hair out of her eyes, causing her to look up at him. "You won't be alone. I won't let you be alone."

She sniffled. "What?"

"I'm not going to leave you as soon as we get rescued. Didn't you hear a thing I just said about how important you are to me? Do you really think I would just throw that all away?"

She gazed at him in wonder. "You mean… you're not going to leave me…?"

"Never."

She smiled at him and gave a tiny laugh, which turned into sobs. She buried her face in his shirt and he wrapped his arms around her, letting her cry.

"It's all going to be okay, Claire. You don't have to be alone anymore."

She sniffed and hugged him tightly. "Thank you. Thank you, Charlie. You don't know how much everything you do means to me…"

"You don't have to thank me." He grinned. "I like taking care of you two. It makes me feel like I'm actually needed. I haven't felt that way in a long time."

Claire smiled up at him, and they both turned to look at Aaron when he started to fuss. Claire quickly straightened out and picked him, whispering to him. After a moment she looked up at Charlie, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"Why don't you take him?"

"Oh, I don't want to take him away from his mummy…"

"Charlie." She said, her eyes serious as they locked with his. "Aaron doesn't just need his mummy. He needs a daddy, too."

Charlie stared at her in shock for a few seconds. "Are you serious?" he whispered.

"Who better to be his daddy than the only man who's really paid him any serious attention?"

Charlie's face bloomed into a full blown smile as he took Aaron from Claire, tickling his chin fondly. Clair lied her head on his shoulder and smiled at Aaron. "You don't have to worry, Peanut. Mummy and Daddy are here."

"Yeah," Charlie grinned. "Mummy and Daddy are here.


End file.
